Category: NSW News

A Minns Labor Government is continuing with its long term plan to redesign and repair the structure of the New South Wales health system by introducing minimum and enforceable safe staffing levels to public hospitals, starting with emergency departments.

The proposal will see an additional 1,200 nurses and midwives recruited into the system (above the government’s additional recruits outlined in 2022-23 NSW State Budget) within the first four years of a Labor Government, at a cost of $175 million.

Minimum and enforceable Safe Staffing Levels will start in Emergency Departments and be subsequently rolled out into other areas including ICUs, maternity wards, and Multi-Purpose Services in a staged approach and in consultation with healthcare professionals.

Under the proposal, hospitals will maintain safe nursing or midwifery staffing levels on a shift-by-shift basis, based on an area of care or speciality type; as well as treatment spaces or beds.

Nurses and midwives have long been calling for workforce reform, even before the emergence of COVID-19. However, the pandemic presented a breaking point for nurses, paramedics, hospital cleaners, allied health professionals, security guards and other health care heroes.  

Hospitals that have been overwhelmed, under-resourced and severely neglected by the NSW Liberals and Nationals – particularly in Western Sydney, and regional and rural NSW – will benefit significantly from these landmark reforms.

After 12 years under the NSW Liberal and National Government, Western Sydney and regional and rural NSW have seen a deterioration of access to health services, including increased emergency department wait times, and delays in life-changing surgery.

Across the state, 42.9 per cent of the most critical emergency department patients did not have their treatment start on time – the highest on record since Bureau of Health Information reporting began in 2010.

In Western Sydney, this figure was a staggering two thirds (66.3 per cent) of urgent Western Sydney emergency department presentations not starting start on time.

Meanwhile, across the state, 76,117 patients left emergency departments without completing treatment – or one in 10. This is the highest number on record and a 68 per cent jump in just three years.

Research by tertiary qualified healthcare professionals, has shown safe staffing levels deliver better care, and are more cost effective. 

The changes will be implemented by converting the existing Nursing Hours Per Patient Day staffing requirement into minimum and enforceable Safe Staffing Levels within the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award.

Chris Minns, NSW Labor Leader:

Our health system was in crisis before the pandemic, but after getting us through multiple waves of COVID-19, we owe it to our health workers to fix this.

“After more than a decade of the NSW Liberals and Nationals in government, our health system needs structural repair.

“Experienced nurses and midwives are either dropping their working hours or worse, leaving the system altogether because they’re not supported enough in the workplace and see the workloads as untenable.

“These changes will see more health staff retained, working in areas that need them the most, and it means better outcomes for patients and the level of care they will receive in New South Wales.”

Ryan Park, NSW Shadow Minister for Health:

“Our health system doesn’t have a recruitment problem, it has a retention problem, because our hospitals are overstretched and under-resourced.  

“After 12 years of neglect of our health system, the people of New South Wales rightly don’t trust the Liberals and Nationals to turn things around at the 11th hour.

“The first phase is a $150 million commitment to fund an additional 500 paramedics in Labor’s first term, to ease the burden of chronic paramedic shortages and the unprecedented strain on our rural and regional health system.” 

Daniel Mookhey, NSW Shadow Treasurer:

“NSW Labor has spent the better part of 7 months sitting down respectfully at the table, negotiating in good faith with the workforce.

“It shows what’s possible when you’re prepared to listen to our health care heroes instead of insulting them.

“This model is affordable within the fiscal environment, after 12 years of waste, debt and deficit under the NSW Liberals and Nationals.”

On behalf of NSW Labor we extend our condolences and thoughts to the family and friends on the passing of prominent Wiradjuri woman, Aunt Neita Scott.

Aunt Neita was committed to improving the lives of her people through her long commitment to Land Rights, her extensive work in Aboriginal housing and in her home community of Narromine.

Neita Scott became the NSWALC Councillor for the Central Region in 1988 to 1995 and served as Secretary of the Council from 1989 to 1995. Aunt Neita was Treasurer of the Narromine Local Aboriginal Land Council for more than two decades and Chairperson of Narromine LALC for many years. Neita advocated for Land Rights on the world stage, representing NSWALC at the United Nations in Geneva on several occasions and was awarded NSWALC’s inaugural “40 Years Strong” Chairperson’s Award in 2017.

She was a Board Member at the Aboriginal Housing Office, a member of the Aboriginal Housing Development Committee, as well as a Member of the Premier’s Council for Women, the Rural Women’s Advisory Council and Narromine Health Council.

Aunt Neita was a giant of the Lands Rights Movement and we acknowledge her huge contribution.

Offenders who refuse to provide information or assistance to locate their victim’s remains cannot be granted parole, under new “no body no parole” laws.
 
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the government’s proposed Bill would mean offenders must co-operate with investigators and disclose the location of remains for any chance of release on parole.
 
“We will make it impossible for offenders who willfully and deliberately refuse to disclose information about their victim’s remains, to be granted parole,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“Being unable to locate a loved one’s body is extremely distressing and traumatic for the families and friends of victims and it denies a victim the dignity of being laid to rest appropriately.
 
“These laws are to stop inmates convicted of murder or homicide offences from getting parole unless they co-operate with police to end the torment of families and return to them the remains of their loved ones.”
 
The proposed reform will mean the State Parole Authority (SPA) must not grant parole unless it concludes the offender has cooperated satisfactorily in identifying the victim’s location.
 
Under the reforms, the SPA must rely on written advice from the Commissioner of NSW Police Force and other relevant information to determine whether the offender has co-operated satisfactorily to identify a victim’s location.
 
Corrections Minister Geoff Lee said the reforms are modelled on laws in other jurisdictions and would apply to all current and future inmates in NSW to capture convicted offenders who have not yet been considered for parole.
 
“Any offender in prison coming up for parole should really think hard about maintaining their refusal to cooperate with police if they want to retain their prospects of getting parole,” Dr Lee said.

Parents across NSW will soon have more accessible and affordable quality childcare with legislation for the up to $5 billion Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund to be introduced to Parliament this week.
 
The Fund brings the NSW Government a step closer to delivering on its $15.9 billion commitment announced in the 2022-23 NSW Budget to transform the lives of families across the State.
 
Legislating the Fund guarantees NSW families can enjoy the benefits of this important initiative for decades to come, and gives long-term certainty to the childcare sector.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the NSW Government’s early childhood education reforms are estimated to boost affordable childcare supply by up to 47,000 places when combined with changes to the Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy.
 
“This landmark investment will give our children the best start in life, support the parents who need it most and help women return to paid work when they want,” Mr Kean said.
 
“The NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund Bill 2022 will help give more people in our State the opportunity to choose both a career and a family by easing cost of living pressures.
“These nation-leading reforms are also estimated to close the gender workforce participation gap by up to 14 per cent and increase household incomes by up to $4,400 on average within a decade.”
 
Mr Kean said the Fund, delivered alongside the Commonwealth’s childcare reforms, is expected to allow up to 95,000 women to enter the workforce or take on more hours.
 
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the Fund adds to other measures announced in the Budget to improve women’s economic opportunity, boost their workplace participation and tackle the gender pay gap.
 
“This Fund will help break the childcare drought by targeting areas with limited access and trialling new service models to meet the needs of modern families,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the Fund will provide opportunities for the early childhood sector to grow, be innovative to the needs of families and support children with the highest quality education and care.
 
“Enshrining this in law will guarantee investment in the sector and improve quality in both infrastructure and the workforce. We’ll continue to work with providers on the Fund’s rollout to best support the formative years of children’s lives,” Ms Mitchell said.
 
Over the next decade the NSW Government is spending $15.9 billion on childcare and early education, including:
 

• Up to $5 billion over 10 years to establish the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund.
• $5.8 billion over 10 years to introduce a high-quality universal pre-Kindergarten year for all children in NSW in the year before school by 2030.
• $1.4 billion over four years to provide affordable preschool.
• $64.1 million to increase participation of 3 year olds in preschool in long day care settings.
• $281.6 million over four years to increase the number, quality and retention of early childhood educators and teachers – the package includes early childhood teacher higher education scholarships of up to $25,000, Vocational Education and Training scholarships of up to $2,000 and employer supplements for staff retention.
• $111.2 million over four years for developmental checks in preschools in both metro and rural areas as part of the Brighter Beginnings initiative.
• $24.7 million over four years to build system stewardship capability and offer more tailored support and guidance to early childhood education and care service providers.
• $37.9 million over three years to improve access to before and after-school care services.

People wanting to experience the world will now be able to enjoy everything other cultures have to offer at home, thanks to the NSW Government offering million-dollar investments into major council-run cultural festivals and events. 
 
Grant funding of up to $500,000 a year for two years is now available for local councils across the state’s Six Cities to host major cultural events in partnership with the NSW Government.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said this partnership will benefit the state’s Six Cities Regions, including celebrating our rich diversity, driving tourism and boosting local economies. 
 
“We are talking about working with councils to host events that will attract tens of thousands of people from far and wide that want to experience our state’s diverse cultures,” Mr Perrottet said. 
 
“By partnering with councils, we will be able to support them cater for bigger crowds, which will benefit their local economies and especially small businesses.”
 
This funding has been made available thanks to the NSW’s 2022-23 Budget, which saw a record $28 million invested into the state’s multicultural future.
 
Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said cultural events help celebrate NSW’s greatest asset—its people.
 
“Councils in our major cities all have a major event that is synonymous with their local community, whether it be Lunar New Year, the Mid Autumn Festival, Ramadan, Diwali or even Christmas,” Mr Coure said.
 
“Every year, people wait in anticipation for those events to enjoy the vibrancy, the colour and the culture they are known for. That is the beauty of our multiculturalism—you don’t need to travel overseas to experience other cultures. You can do it right here in NSW.”
  
All councils across the state’s Six Cities are eligible to apply to support existing major cultural events or to establish a new one. 
 
Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman said councils understand local needs, and were best placed to drive social and cultural events.
 
“Local Councils are the level of government closest to the community, so the NSW Government working directly with councils in our six cities will ensure these celebrations benefit their communities directly,” Mrs Tuckerman said. 
 
“By partnering with councils, we are boosting local cultural celebrations led by local leaders, helping to cater for bigger crowds so tourists can experience everything their city has to offer.” 
 
The Six Cities Regions comprise of the Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle City, Central Coast City, Illawarra-Shoalhaven City, Western Parkland City, Central River City and Eastern Harbour City.
 
Successful councils can use the funding for festivals held in 2023 and 2024. Successful councils must partner with the NSW Government and co-fund to host events. Applications are now open and close on Friday, 7 October. For more information, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au  

Motorists in Highfields and Adamstown Heights are now experiencing safer and quicker journeys on City Road following the early completion of two intersection upgrades.
 
Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said these projects have significantly eased congestion and increased safety across the intersections at Kahibah Road Highfields and Northcott Drive Adamstown Heights across City Road.
 
“We are busting congestion so you spend less time in traffic and have more time to do the things that are important to you,” Mrs Ward said.
 
“The completion of these major intersection upgrades has increased the traffic flow capacity and improved safety.
 
“The Northcott Drive intersection includes new safety barriers, improved drainage, repaired existing walls, upgraded electrical components and relocated services.”
 
Minister for Regional Roads Sam Farraway said the intersection upgrades, funded through $13.5 million from the Hunter Pinch Points Program, involved extending right turn lanes, building new left turn lanes on City Road, adding an extra right turn lane out of Kahibah Road and widening sections of the road to improve traffic flows.
 
“The upgraded intersections are now open to traffic, and we can now complete work on a new crossing connecting to a new ramp and existing footpath across Northcott Drive, and complete improvements to the existing City Road pedestrian crossing,” Mr Farraway said.
 
“City Road is a vital transport, tourist and freight route which is used by about 6,000 vehicles per hour at this location, including 150 heavy vehicles.
 
“This work has improved safety at this location, and supported 75 jobs during the
construction period, providing a welcome boost to the local economy.
 
“We thank residents, business and road users for their patience and support during this work.”

Last night, the NSW Government lodged a section 418 application in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to have the destructive action proposed by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) to turn off or short circuit Opal machines declared ‘unprotected’.
 
The application to the independent FWC has been made following legal advice received by the Government that the proposed action is prima facie unlawful.
 
Sydney Trains and NSW Train Link believe the notified action is also unsafe and could cause financial impacts on commuters.
 
The submission comes after the Combined Rail Unions rejected a number of formal requests from transport officials to withdraw the action.
 
The matter is expected to be heard within the next 48 hours.
 
The NSW Government remains committed to bargaining in good faith but will take all measures available to ensure taxpayer assets are not tampered with as part of the union’s Labor endorsed campaign of strikes and disruption for commuters.

Major construction works for the $344 million expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW is now complete, with the new build on track to open its doors on Saturday 3 December. 
 
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the project was part of the NSW Government’s record investment in arts and culture.
 
“Sydney is Australia’s only global city and the expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW bolsters our reputation as one of the world’s cultural capitals,” Mr Perrottet said. 
 
“The new building is an architectural masterpiece, befitting of some of the world’s finest artworks and we can’t wait to welcome the public in December.
 
“Our $244 million investment into this project will attract tourism, help inject $1 billion into the NSW economy and most importantly, inspire the next generation of artists.”
 
The $244 million contribution was made possible by the NSW Government’s successful asset recycling program, which Labor has always opposed.
 
Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes said delivery of the Art Gallery of NSW expansion created 540 construction jobs and was completed to an incredibly high standard.
 
“Cultural infrastructure is crucial to creating great cities and the Project expands one of Australia’s leading landmarks, nestled in one of our finest public spaces,” Mr Stokes said.
 
“This is an incredible building that combines striking design features with excellence in sustainability, recognised with a Six Star Green Star design rating.
 
“It has been designed to accommodate the artworks of the 21^st century, with a fritted glass canopy, feature galleries and a unique 250-metre rammed earth wall sweeping through two levels of the building, made from NSW-sourced materials.”
 
Minister for Arts and Tourism Ben Franklin said the spectacular new building will double the space for art, with floor space increasing from 9,000 square metres to 16,000 square metres.
 
“Along with enjoying leading exhibitions from around the world, visitors will also be able to enjoy new outdoor spaces, including a public art garden, all set in one of the world’s most beautiful cultural precincts, adjacent to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney,” Mr Franklin said.
 
“It’s also exciting that in addition to the new building by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA, the Art Gallery’s much-loved original building is being revitalised for everyone to enjoy.
 
“The expansion will include the celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, showcasing the Art Gallery’s internationally renowned collection in a permanent gallery, the first to be encountered by visitors on entrance level of the new building, as well as across the expanded art museum.”
 
Together with the NSW Government’s $244 million in funding, the Art Gallery has raised more than $100 million from private donors to support the extension. It is Australia’s largest government and philanthropic arts partnership of its kind to date.

A Blue Plaque has been installed for the first time ever in NSW as part of the popular NSW Blue Plaques program, which recognises extraordinary people and events from our State’s history.
 
Minister for Heritage James Griffin said the Caroline Chisholm Blue Plaque in the suburb of East Maitland was the first of 21 Blue Plaques so far to be installed.
 
“Caroline Chisholm embodied the Australian spirit and was an advocate for women and immigrant families, so it’s fitting that her Blue Plaque is the first to be unveiled,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“Her tireless work towards improving conditions for countless immigrant women and families arriving in Australia is a history that we are proud to commemorate.
 
“Caroline Chisholm Cottage in East Maitland is now the permanent home for the first NSW Blue Plaque, and it’s just the first of many more sites around the state that will feature the plaques.
 
“Our $5 million Blue Plaques program is all about getting communities involved in local heritage, and recognising the extraordinary people and stories that helped shape NSW.”
 
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin said Caroline Chisholm Cottage is believed to be the only surviving site of her charitable works, dating back to 1842.
 
“Caroline Chisholm was an astounding person who dedicated her life to service,” Mr Martin said.
 
“After immigrating to Australia, she helped other newly arrived migrants, especially young women, and would meet every incoming ship to offer support in finding employment and housing for them.
 
“She encouraged immigrants to move inland where there were more jobs, and had employment agencies and hostels set up in rural areas right across the State, including the one now known as Caroline Chisholm Cottage on Mill Street, East Maitland.”
 
So far, 21 Blue Plaque recipients have been named, and the NSW public will be invited to nominate more noteworthy people, stories and events when a second round of nominations opens.
 
With Caroline Chisholm’s Blue Plaque now in place, the other 20 Plaques will be installed in yet to be announced locations in the coming weeks.
 
A new website that shares the stories and photos of each recipient has also been launched. To learn more, visit blueplaques.nsw.gov.au

More women at risk of homelessness have a roof over their head with tenants moving into new units in Bankstown, acquired as part of a $2.8 million investment to support vulnerable people into housing.
 
Minister for Families and Communities Natasha Maclaren-Jones said the seven dwellings were being delivered under the Community Housing Innovation Fund (CHIF) – a partnership with the community housing sector to provide more social and affordable housing.
 
“We know that stable housing is key to empowering at-risk women to improve their lives,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.
 
“It’s wonderful to see these women move into their new home, providing a life-changing space for those who need it most.”
 
Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence, Natalie Ward, said the NSW Government had worked closely with CHIF to deliver these dwellings, which have been specifically designed to meet the needs of vulnerable women.
 
“We know that domestic and family violence is tragically one of the main causes of homelessness for women,” Mrs Ward said.
 
“Our government remains focused on breaking that cycle of family violence by investing in important initiatives like this and supporting women to overcome barriers of inequality.”
 
The CHIF offers grants to community housing providers who also co-contribute resources. The $2.8 million investment includes $2 million from the CHIF and $800,000 from the Women’s Housing Company.
 
Women’s Housing Company CEO Debbie Georgopoulos thanked the NSW Government for partnering with community housing providers to deliver solutions for people in need.
 
“When secure and affordable housing is available, this can be a game changer,” Ms Georgopoulos said. 
 
“We are very proud of our Bankstown Project, where tenants will be supported by the Women’s Housing Company to settle into the community and focus on the future.”
 
Muslim Women Australia Chief Executive Officer Maha Abdo says this announcement is a major step towards increasing the support for victim-survivors who are from multicultural and multifaith backgrounds.
 
“Our partnership with the state government is a partnership in purpose, providing hope for our diverse multicultural, multifaith community through access to stable, secure accommodation while also providing support through our unique healing framework,” said Ms Abdo.